Welcome to Trouble Free Pool

We would like to welcome you to TFP, the webs leading Pool related website. We invite you to please Register to create a new account. Doing this will give you full access to the forums, where you will be able to receive personalized advice concerning your pool. We hope to see you soon!

need advice on aquired pool

Hello,

I bought a house last september and with it came this pool. Made a rookie mistake and didnt close it before the leaves fell(thought I had some time). Got most of it out and closed it up. I've spent the last week or two on off days cleaning it up, skimming /vacuuming the whole nine yards. Even went and had to download a manual for the filter as I was left no instruction manual. After I took the cover off the water was clear for about an hour then went to a nice green pool, added some chemicals to clear up the green then it went to a murky blue color and now I am finally just about crystal clear. (Filter has been running 24/7 a week now)

So far I have put in chemical wise about a gallon of clarifier, a gallon of liquid chlorine, 1/4 gallon algaecide and a little bit of PH plus(all products used are HTH). added a packet of super shock last night as its been a week since I put that other stuff in. Ive been reading alot of the posts on this site as well as the pool school postings. I feel like I understand everything that is being said but being a first time pool guy I guess I lack the experience to be able to just get it done so to speak.

Using a 6 way test kit by hth from Walmart I yield the following results.

TA-70
CYA- 55
PH- 7.4/7.5
CL/BR maxed out on the color tube at 5/10
using a test strip(I know none of you like them) .5 FC

So I guess I am just looking for some feedback from some people that have been looking at these numbers for a while now. From what I can tell they look alright, although I realize I need to raise that FC level up a bit. Also should I have added more chlorine or something at the begining. Even if numbers look good do you still have to overload when you first open to make sure all the winter nastiness is dead? Not sure that I've actually "shocked" my pool here. I feel like its about ready to be enjoyed but as I have 2 young children I want to make sure I am doing everything right.

Re: need advice on aquired pool

So, unless there is another source of chlorine, it does not seem that you have added enough chlorine to reach shock level, much less keep it there.

Unfortunately, with your test kit, there is really no way to know how much chlorine you have in now, so we don't really know how much more you need to add, much less be able to test to maintain the chlorine level.

Plus, I assume that you mean .5 CC, not FC. The presence of the CC is an indication that you have some more shocking to do. (Though in other circumstances, it might be low enough to warrent letting it go).

Your other numbers look good. Your CYA is a bit high, but as long as you stick to bleach for your chlorine, that should trickle down over time as you replenish your water.

Re: need advice on aquired pool

Personally I love the idea of test strips, I just hate the fact that they don't work. I tried them again last year for quick checks, and in theory they are great, the problem is when you get one and you know the result you are seeing can't be right, so you retest and get a completely different outcome 2 minutes later. They are better than nothing, but not by much, and then only if you check them 3 times with strips from different batches / brands.

Ike

p.s. I just received a bottle of 3 way test strips in an order from one of the pool supply companies today, they had a memorial day special on a kit with scrub brush, manual vacuum, hose, thermometer, test strips, etc. for what amounted to $25 after discount. I am debating if I should give them away (my mother in laws neighbor put up an above ground pool last weekend), or is it too cruel of gift.

Re: need advice on aquired pool

Plus, I assume that you mean .5 CC, not FC. The presence of the CC is an indication that you have some more shocking to do. (Though in other circumstances, it might be low enough to warrent letting it go).

I don't currently have a method for testing CC, the test strips were for FC and it read .5